About the “0xc0000098” error

The following information on this error has been compiled by NeoSmart Technologies, based on the information gathered and reported by our global network of engineers, developers, and technicians or partner organizations.

Description and Symptoms

The error messages, alerts, warnings, and symptoms below are tied to this error.

Symptom 1: 0xc0000098 error screen on startup

As a part of the system startup procedure, the BOOTMGR bootloader introduced in Windows Vista and subsequently used in Windows 7, Windows 8(.1), and Windows 10 uses a database of entries and configuration options known as the BCD1, which acts as a global store for all boot-related options and settings on newer Windows PCs. However, if the BCD file has no operating system entries, then the following error message will appear:

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the
cause. To fix the problem:
1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
3. Click "Repair your computer."
If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer
manufacturer for assistance.
File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc0000098
Info: The Windows Boot Configuration Data file does not contain a valid
OS entry.

A device driver that’s incompatible with your Windows system can cause this error too. In this kind of example, the error text can mention a specific file at the File row:

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the
cause. To fix the problem:
1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
3. Click "Repair your computer."
If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer
manufacturer for assistance.
File: \Windows\System32\Drivers\aswVmm.sys
Status: 0xc0000098
Info: Windows failed to load because a critical system driver
is missing, or corrupt.

Causes of this Error

This error has been known to occur as a result of one or more of the following:

Cause 1: BCD has no OS entries

One of the most common causes of this error is the BCD that has no entries in it. That could happen because of disk write errors, power outages, boot sector viruses, or errors made while configuring the BCD manually.

Cause 2: An incompatible hard drive driver is installed

Another possible cause of this error is a device driver that is incompatible with the current hard drive. That could occur after a system update, or a service pack installation.

Fixing “0xc0000098” on Windows

Windows Setup CD/DVD Required!Some of the solutions below require the use of the Microsoft Windows setup CD or DVD. If your PC did not come with a Windows installation disc or if you no longer have your Windows setup media, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows instead. EasyRE will automatically find and fix many problems, and can also be used to solve this problem with the directions below.

Fix #1: Rebuild BCD via Easy Recovery Essentials

Easy Recovery Essentials’ one-click automated system repair feature incorporates full repair and reconstruction of the BCD to resolve the “0xc0000098” error, even in cases where Windows won’t boot as a result of the error.

Easy Recovery Essentials is guaranteed to fix the “0xc0000098” error automatically using its built-in Automated Repair option. EasyRE is currently available for Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and can be downloaded and created on any PC.

Once EasyRE is running, choose the “Automated Repair” option and click Continue.

Choose “Automated Repair” in Easy Recovery Essentials

After EasyRE scans your computer’s drives, identify and select the drive letter for your Windows installation from the list, and then click on the Automated Repair button to begin.

Choose the drive associated with the Windows installation you’re trying to repair.

Easy Recovery Essentials will start analyzing the selected drive for problems. EasyRE will test for and attempt to automatically correct errors with the disk, partition, bootsector, filesystem, bootloader, and registry. No intervention is required, as EasyRE’s repair is fully automated:

Fix #2: Run Startup Repair

On Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, Startup Repair can be used to scan the system for damaged or missing system files to replace the BCD file if it has no entries.

Windows Setup CD/DVD Required!Some of the solutions below require the use of the Microsoft Windows setup CD or DVD. If your PC did not come with a Windows installation disc or if you no longer have your Windows setup media, you can use Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows instead. EasyRE will automatically find and fix many problems, and can also be used to solve this problem with the directions below.

Startup Repair is an automated diagnosis and repair tool that is available from the Windows setup disc and can be used to find and repair some common problems. More information about how Startup Repair operates and what it does can be found in our knowledgebase. The following steps will initiate Startup Repair from the Windows setup disc: